• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free ACCA & CIMA online courses from OpenTuition

Free ACCA & CIMA online courses from OpenTuition

Free Notes, Lectures, Tests and Forums for ACCA and CIMA exams

  • ACCA
  • CIMA
  • FIA
  • OBU
  • Books
  • Forums
  • Ask AI
  • Search
  • Register
  • Login
  • ACCA Forums
  • Ask ACCA Tutor
  • CIMA Forums
  • Ask CIMA Tutor
  • FIA
  • OBU
  • Buy/Sell Books
  • All Forums
  • Latest Topics

June 2025 ACCA Exams

How was your exam? Comments & Instant poll >>

20% off ACCA & CIMA Books

OpenTuition recommends the new interactive BPP books for June 2025 exams.
Get your discount code >>

A little confused about a sample answer to a question about audit risks

Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA AA Exams › A little confused about a sample answer to a question about audit risks

  • This topic has 5 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 1 year ago by Kim Smith.
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • October 29, 2023 at 9:59 am #694133
    txncla
    Participant
    • Topics: 3
    • Replies: 7
    • ☆

    I was practicing a question about audit risks and auditor’s responses and this sample answer to the question left me a bit confused.

    This was the scenario:
    “Harlem Co sells approximately 40% of its tyres to wholesale customers. These customers
    purchase goods on a sale or return basis. Under the terms of the agreement, wholesale
    customers have 60 days during which any returns can be made without penalty. The finance
    director has historically assumed a return rate of 10%, however, he now feels that this is
    excessive and intends to change this to 5%.”

    This was the sample answer identifying the audit risk:
    “The finance director is planning on reducing the estimated return rate for goods sold on a sale or return basis to wholesale customers from 10% to 5%. IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers provides that revenue and cost of sales should only be accounted for to the extent that the company foresees that the goods will not be returned. For the goods which may be returned, the company should recognise a refund liability. If, after 60 days, the goods are not returned, then this liability is reversed and revenue is recognised. By reducing the return rate, there is a risk that revenue and cost of sales may be overstated and liabilities understated.”

    While I understand every other part, the last sentence had me puzzled. If the return rate had been reduced, wouldn’t that mean the refund liabilities accounted for using the original 10% return rate would be *overstated* and the revenues and costs of sales recognised would be *understated* because the return rate will be reduced to 5%?

    I feel quite stupid not understanding this, and I never really was an expert with IFRS 15 when I had my F7 exam. I’d really appreciate it if anyone could help me understand what the sample answer wrote!

    October 29, 2023 at 10:45 am #694134
    Kim Smith
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 133
    • Replies: 8299
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    Welcome to my AA forum!

    Suppose monthly sales are $10,000. Based on historic returns, 10% cannot yet be recognised, so:
    Dr Revenue $1,000
    Cr Refund liability $1,000

    So it will increase revenue recognition and reduce liabilities if this is changed to 5%:
    Dr Revenue $500
    Cr Refund liability $500

    The risk is that 5% should have continued to be 10% – i.e. the reduction is not based on fact but to improve the financials – therefore revenue (and profit) would be overstated and liabilities understated. (I think “cost of sales” in the last sentence must be a typo.)

    October 29, 2023 at 5:15 pm #694146
    txncla
    Participant
    • Topics: 3
    • Replies: 7
    • ☆

    Hi, sir/ma’am,
    Thank you for the welcome and response!

    So from my understanding, the reduction of the return rate is not “valid” because it’s not actually a fact that the customers would return the goods, but because it is reduced just to improve the financials?

    October 29, 2023 at 6:00 pm #694151
    Kim Smith
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 133
    • Replies: 8299
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    That is the risk. The change might be valid, but that can only be determined by an appropriate auditor’s response.

    October 30, 2023 at 7:10 am #694166
    txncla
    Participant
    • Topics: 3
    • Replies: 7
    • ☆

    Thanks a lot! I understand it now.

    October 30, 2023 at 7:17 am #694168
    Kim Smith
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 133
    • Replies: 8299
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    You are welcome!

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • The topic ‘A little confused about a sample answer to a question about audit risks’ is closed to new replies.

Primary Sidebar

Donate
If you have benefited from our materials, please donate

ACCA News:

ACCA My Exam Performance for non-variant

Applied Skills exams is available NOW

ACCA Options:  “Read the Mind of the Marker” articles

Subscribe to ACCA’s Student Accountant Direct

ACCA CBE 2025 Exams

How was your exam, and what was the exam result?

BT CBE exam was.. | MA CBE exam was..
FA CBE exam was.. | LW CBE exam was..

Donate

If you have benefited from OpenTuition please donate.

PQ Magazine

Latest Comments

  • acowtant on Changes in group structure – examples – ACCA SBR lectures
  • Angelacn222 on MA Chapter 26 Questions Variance Analysis
  • Samantha96 on The Statement of Financial Position and Income Statement (part a) – ACCA Financial Accounting (FA) lectures
  • Ejueyitsi-Toju on What is Assurance? – ACCA Audit and Assurance (AA)
  • Goodness on Accruals and Prepayments (part b) – ACCA Financial Accounting (FA) lectures

Copyright © 2025 · Support · Contact · Advertising · OpenLicense · About · Sitemap · Comments · Log in